A regular screening test is very important because it helps find breast cancer in its early stages before any symptoms appear.
With breast cancer becoming the most common form of cancer among women, the importance of having the knowledge of it cannot be overemphasized.
Because finding breast cancer as early as possible help gives one a better chance of having a successful treatment.
Be that as it may, it is important to state here that having the knowledge of breast cancer, which comes hand in with knowing what to look for, does not take the place of having regular screening tests.
However, symptoms of breast cancer include a lump in the breast, bloody discharge from the nipple and changes in the shape or texture of the nipple or breast.
There are also cases where breast cancers can be tender, soft, or rounded. Additionally, they can even be painful.
For this reason, new breast mass, lump, or breast change should be promptly checked by a health care professional experienced in diagnosing breast diseases.
Here are other possible symptoms of breast cancer to look out for
How to prevent breast cancer?
Reasonable women put into consideration the steps to take in other to prevent breast cancer. But so far, it has not been proven as to what can be done to prevent the disease. Instead, it is the lowering of the risk factors that have been given.
Here is how to reduce your risk of breast cancer:
1. Don’t smoke
Studies have succeeded in showing a link between smoking and the risk of breast cancer. And this is most particular in premenopausal women.
In addition to the risk of breast cancer, it is known to most people that smoking lowers the quality of life and increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and at least 15 cancers – which of course breast cancer, is included.
2. Limit alcohol
Researchers claim that chances of developing breast cancer become high when you consume more alcohol. Even small amounts of alcohol are said to also increase the risk of breast cancer.
It is, therefore, advisable for you to try as much as you can to minimize your intake of alcohol.
3. Avoid birth control pills, particularly after age 35
Unknown to most women, birth control pills have both risks and benefits. And the younger a woman is, the lower the risks are.
But for women above the age of thirty-four, birth control pills pose a threat to them as they have a slightly increased risk of breast cancer when they take it.
However, the risk goes away quickly, after stopping the pill.
In addition to the possible risk of breast cancer, the risk of stroke and heart attack is also increased while on the pill – particularly if a woman smokes.
4. Be physically active
The health benefits of exercise are priceless. As a matter of fact, it can be a silver bullet for good health.
Studies have shown that women who are physically active for at least 30 minutes a day have a lower risk of breast cancer.
5. Avoid post-menopausal hormones
Just like birth control pills, post-menopausal hormones have mixed effect on health. It increases the risk of some diseases and at the same time lowers the risk of others.
However, it has been proven that both estrogen-only hormones and estrogen-plus-progestin hormones increase the risk of breast cancer.
Note
Sometimes a breast cancer can spread to lymph nodes under the arm or around the collar bone and cause a lump or swelling there, even before the original tumor in the breast is large enough to be felt.
Swollen lymph nodes should also be checked by a healthcare provider.
Although breast cancer might not always be the case, it is, however, advisable to always go for screening whenever such symptoms are seen.
